Homesteading for Beginners (6 Basic Steps on How to Start)

These days, many of us are seeking a simpler way of life where we can truly appreciate what we do and what we cultivate in our surroundings.

That’s where homesteading comes in.

Homesteading has become a preferred lifestyle for those who want to take control of their lives and create a more sustainable way of living.

With the rising cost of living and food prices, you may have thought about finding ways to save money and live more practically.

By growing your own fruits and vegetables, you can not only eat healthier but also spend less purchasing goods in the market since you’re already growing your own food.

Whether your goal is to eat healthier, rely less on markets, or simply enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own garden, homesteading can help you achieve that.

What is Homesteading?

Homesteading is a way of life centered on self-sufficiency and sustainable living.

It involves growing your own food, raising a few animals, and learning practical skills like sewing or carpentry, which help you rely less on stores and external services.

You don’t need a large farm to start; even a small backyard or a few pots on your balcony can be enough to begin making changes toward a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Nowadays, people choose to homestead for many reasons. 

Some are seeking a simpler life and want to slow down from the hectic pace of everyday living in a city.

Others are more health-conscious and prefer to avoid processed foods, like canned, frozen, or packaged items, opting to grow their own instead.

One of the great aspects of homesteading is learning to live independently, navigating life without relying on commercial products or services.

Beyond that, you get to learn how to take control of your life (in a deeper sense), physically and mentally. 

Since homesteading requires a lot of physical labor, it’s like having a built-in workout routine right at home. Not only that, your confidence will build up as you learn practical skills (planting, harvesting, preserving, animal care) in life.

In homesteading, you don't just grow your own food for survival, you also get to share it with the people around you.

6 Easy Steps to Start Homesteading

If you’re curious about starting your own homesteading journey, let’s look at some simple steps to help you get going.

Step 1: Identify Your Goals

The first step is to think about why you want to start this lifestyle.

What’s driving you? Are you hoping to grow your own food to enjoy fresh veggies straight from your garden? Maybe you want to cut down on grocery bills or live in a way that’s better for the environment.

Whatever your reasons, getting clear on them will help keep you motivated.

Once you have a solid idea of what you want, set specific and achievable goals.

Instead of just saying, “I want to grow vegetables,” set a goal like, “I want to grow 5 types of vegetables this season, such as tomatoes, peppers, carrots, lettuce, and spinach.”

This gives you a clear vision to look forward to.

If raising animals is part of your plan, consider starting with a few chickens for fresh eggs. Decide how many hens you’d like (perhaps three or four) and do some research on what they need in terms of space and care.

And as you make your plans, think how you can be more sustainable right from the beginning.

You can create your own compost by using kitchen or food scraps or any materials that is ready on hand. Not only does it help you reduce waste, but it also helps you save money on purchasing expensive ready-made compost.

If you’re focusing on growing vegetables, consider growing them without chemicals, or try companion planting, which can help keep pests away without pesticides.

These small, eco-friendly changes will help you live more sustainably and save some money, too.

Other Questions To Think About Before You Start

You may want to ask yourself these questions before you start homesteading to ensure you achieve the best productivity from your farm or garden once you begin.

• How much of your own food supply do you aim to produce on your homestead?
• Will you prioritize organic and heirloom varieties in your gardening?
• Do you plan to preserve foods through methods like root cellaring or freeze-drying?
• Will you experiment with traditional food preservation techniques like smoking or curing?
• Do you intend to grow your own herbs and spices for cooking?
• Will you create a compost system for sustainable soil health?
• Are you interested in fermenting other foods beyond kombucha, like sauerkraut or kimchi?
• Will you explore producing alternative grains or legumes on your homestead?
• Do you plan to create a year-round vegetable garden, including cold frames or greenhouses?
• Will you raise livestock solely for dairy, or do you have other animal products in mind?
• Are you considering rotational grazing or other regenerative practices for your animals?
• Will you produce your own soaps and detergents for household use?
• Do you plan to make your own herbal remedies or tinctures for family wellness?
• Will you render your own fats, like lard or tallow, for cooking or soap making?
• Will you explore options like hydroponics or aquaponics for growing vegetables?
• Do you envision setting up rainwater collection for irrigation and drinking purposes?
• Will you learn and use traditional skills like sewing, weaving, or knitting?
• Are you open to learning basic carpentry for repairs and building projects?
• How much of your household’s energy needs do you aim to produce on-site?
• Will you start a seed-saving practice to preserve plant varieties year-to-year?
• Do you want to invest in solar or wind power to reduce dependence on the grid?
• Will you attempt to produce your own fuel, such as biofuel or firewood, for heat?
• Will you make your own natural insect repellents and pest controls?
• What additional skills do you want to learn to live more self-sufficiently?

By thinking about these questions, you’ll become aware of unexpected tasks you might encounter along the way. Consider these thoughtfully, and you’ll find yourself prepared and ready to take on the journey.

Step 2: Start Small

When beginning homesteading, it’s important to ease into it instead of trying to do everything at once.

Remember the saying, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.” Jumping in too deep can be overwhelming and might make you want to quit before you even get started.

Start small to build confidence and gain experience without feeling stressed.

For example, you might begin by planting just a few herbs or vegetables (something simple and easy to manage). This will help you not only be able to manage the small garden, but also not have trouble preventing the weeds from growing.

Once you feel comfortable, you can gradually take on bigger projects, like expanding your vegetable garden or raising more animals.

You can also start small with eco-friendly habits.

Setting up a rainwater barrel to water your garden, or starting a compost bin to recycle kitchen scraps, are simple ways to make your homestead more sustainable right from the start.

Step 3: Learn the Basics

Before you start, it’s essential to learn the basics.

Begin by reading books and watching videos on gardening, animal care, and food preservation.

There are many free resources online—YouTube is a great place to watch how-to videos, and many gardening websites offer step-by-step guides.

You can also check out your local farmer’s market for seeds, plants, or just for inspiration. Many towns also offer gardening classes or have gardening clubs where you can meet others who are passionate about homesteading.

It’s also helpful to learn best practices for keeping your garden healthy, such as preventing weeds without harsh chemicals, composting, and choosing the ideal sizes for raised beds to keep your garden tidy and productive.

As you gain confidence in one area, you might want to explore something new, like canning your fruits and vegetables or building a DIY greenhouse.

It’s normal to feel a bit unsure at first. Taking things one step at a time will help build your confidence.

Remember, everyone starts somewhere, and it’s okay not to know everything right away.

Focus on gathering information and applying what you learn as you go along.

Step 4: Choose Something you Enjoy to Start With

While this step similar to step 3, you really do want to start with something that you enjoy – because oftentimes, most newbie homesteaders start off with too many projects (most of which they learn they don't actually like doing).

Here are three different ideas that you could start with, assuming you enjoyed one of them.

Gardening

If you’re wondering where to begin, gardening is a great place to start.

You want to grow your own food, so you better learn how to grow plants or vegetables that soon you'll harvest.

As a beginner, you don’t need to start with a big garden. It’s better to begin with a small, manageable space to test the waters. This way, you can avoid getting overwhelmed by trying to grow too many vegetables at once.

For example, if you plant vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce all together, you might have trouble keeping up with what each one needs.

Since tomatoes need full sun and support, carrots need deep, loose soil, and lettuce needs cool temperatures and lots of water, trying to take care of all these different plants can be stressful and lead to problems (like tomato leaves turning yellow) that you might encounter later on.

So, starting with just a few easy plants will help you learn without feeling all overwhelmed.

You could try planting eggplants along with simple herbs like basil or parsley. These are perfect for beginners because they’re easy to grow and don’t need much care.

Raising Livestock

If raising animals interests you, consider starting with chickens.

Keep in mind why you want to raise them—are they for meat or for eggs or both? Knowing your purpose will help you understand how to care for your chickens properly.

Tips on Raising Chickens for Meat

• Make sure your chicks have enough space. Start with 1 square foot per chick, and when they get bigger (after about 10 weeks), give them 2-3 square feet each.
• Use wood shavings for bedding and keep it dry. Change out any wet spots regularly.
• Keep your chicks warm with a heat lamp. Start at 90-95°F and lower the temperature a bit each week as they grow.
• Feed them chick starter feed with 22-24% protein for the first four weeks. After that, switch to finisher feed with 18-19% protein to help them grow big.
• Clean and disinfect the coop and all the equipment before you get new chicks. This helps keep them healthy.
• Make sure there’s enough room at the feeders and waterers so everyone can eat and drink without fighting over it.
• Watch out for heat stress, especially when it’s really hot. Don’t feed them during the hottest part of the day to help keep them cool.

Tips on Raising Chickens for Eggs

• Give your hens good-quality layer feed that includes protein and calcium. This helps them lay strong eggs.
• Always provide fresh, clean water. It’s essential for their health and aids in egg production.
• Set up one nesting box for every 4 to 5 hens. Keep these boxes clean and private so your hens feel safe when they lay eggs.
• Ensure your hens get about 12-14 hours of light each day. If it’s dark during the winter, you may need to use a light to help them keep laying eggs.
• Clean the coop and nesting boxes regularly to maintain a fresh and healthy environment for your hens.
• Keep an eye on your hens. If they seem tired or aren’t laying as many eggs, check on them right away.
• Make sure your coop is safe from predators. Close it up at night to protect your hens from any animals that might want to harm them.

Chickens are great for beginners because they are easy to care for, provide fresh eggs, and help keep your garden free from pests.

By starting with just a few, you can learn the basics of animal care, like feeding, watering and coop maintenance, without feeling overwhelmed.

As you learn the basics and become skilled in raising animals over time, you can then consider expanding or adding more animals to your homestead.

Preserving Food

One skill you might want to learn is how to preserve food.

If, in the future, you reach a point where you’re growing many vegetables at once, it’s essential to know how to preserve your produce for a longer period of time rather than throwing them away when it’s no longer suitable for consumption.

It would be a waste to harvest a large crop of tomatoes (for example) only to have them spoil a few days later, leading you to throw them away.

To make the most of your hard work in the garden, learn to preserve your produce.

There are different methods you can choose from, such as canning, freezing, and dehydrating. By learning these preservation techniques, you can ensure that none of your hard work goes to waste.

Aside from reducing waste, you'll have a stockpile of healthy food at your fingertips.

For now, you might start with a single method, like freezing, and build your skills from there—one step at a time.

Step 5: Build a Support Network

One of the best things you can do is find a community of other homesteaders to connect with.

You can also find help online. Join to our Facebook group, or other gardening forums, or Pinterest boards to ask questions, share your progress, and get advice.

Many homesteaders are happy to share tips, recommend tools, or even offer spare seeds or plants.

When you need supplies, connecting with a local community can help you find nearby farm stores, secondhand tools, or helpful neighbors willing to share expertise.

Being part of a community gives you a sense of belonging and motivation to keep going.

Step 6: Be Patient and Persistent

Homesteading takes time, and it’s okay to make mistakes.

Take things slow and learn at your own pace. The more time and effort you put in, the better your skills will get. Be patient with yourself and with the process.

Over time, you’ll see your confidence grow as you expand your garden, raise more animals, and try new homesteading techniques (like creating a lasagna garden bed).

Patience and persistence will help you grow into the homesteader you aspire to be.

By following these six easy steps, you'll be well on your way to starting your own homesteading journey.

Want Other Homesteading Skills You Can Practice?

Aside from gardening, raising livestock and preserving food, there are other skills you might want learn to fully maintain a sustainable life you want to achieve.

1. Cooking

Homestead life also means cooking your own food. If you want to live self-sufficiently, learn to master cooking skills (like making bread, soups, and other dishes). This way, you can serve healthy food to your family while enjoying the process.

Aside from that, cooking at home helps you save money by cutting out the need for takeout. Why buy food from outside when you can make your own?

If you're not confident in your cooking skills yet, it's time to start learning—especially if you want to maintain a sustainable lifestyle.

2. Heating Your Home With Wood Heat

One of the most satisfying and practical ways to heat your home is with wood.

If you’ve got the space to install a wood stove, take the opportunity to learn how to gather, split, and season your own firewood.

Not only will it lower your energy bills, but it also brings you closer to your land as you take charge of your heating source.

On top of that, a wood stove can also provide a simple way to cook meals, like stews, during the winter.

So, if you're not used to a wood stove, it’s worth learning the basics, as it can be a useful skill for living more sustainably.

3. Sewing

In homesteading, one of your daily routines is to exert physical effort in every aspect, which means you need to wear durable clothing that can handle hard work.

This is where sewing comes in handy.

Whether you're patching up worn-out jeans or making your own work shirts, knowing how to sew allows you to create clothing that is both practical and long-lasting.

Instead of constantly buying new clothes, you can repair and adjust what you already have, making them better suited to the demands of farm life.

4. Woodcraft

Living a sustainable life means being resourceful, and woodworking is one of the most important skills you can develop.

With woodworking, you can build your own furniture, construct a garden bench, make raised beds, or create any custom tools you need on a homestead.

This allows you to create exactly what you need while saving money, which is one of the primary purposes of homesteading.

Woodworking also helps build your confidence, enabling you to tackle progressively larger projects in the future. So why not learn this valuable skill?

5. Carpentry

When you move to a homestead, chances are your new place will need some work. Whether it’s an older house that needs repairs or a newer one that’s not quite finished, home renovation is often part of the deal.

Learning how to fix things yourself can save you a lot of money in the long run. From patching up walls to installing new floors or fixing a leaky pipe, doing it yourself makes your space more comfortable and better suited to your needs.

At first, it might feel overwhelming, but the more you get into it, the easier it becomes.

Beyond that, there’s a real sense of satisfaction in fixing things up and making your home truly yours.

Pro Tip: Be Ready to Adapt

Things don’t always go according to plan when you're starting out on a homestead. You might run into unexpected problems like bad weather or something breaking down.

One thing you can do is stay flexible. If something doesn’t work the way you thought it would, try to find a new way to make it work.

It’s all part of the process, and being able to roll with the changes will make your homesteading journey a lot easier and less stressful.

Good luck on homesteading!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)